A figure emerged from the swirling dust cloud kicked up by the retreating patrol. Cloaked in a heavy black drape that concealed the lower half of his body, Tharig was an anomaly against the stark desert landscape. His silhouette, tall and lean, moved with practiced precision despite the harsh terrain. A white peaked cap, tilted at a jaunty angle, sat atop his head, a stark contrast to his otherwise somber attire. and he said

"Hello there, sunshine. Did you lose your way?"